Mediterranean diet may be the healthiest

Wednesday

Mar 27, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Jessica Oswald / Special to the Times-News

For a long time, we’ve known that people who live in the countries along the Mediterranean Sea have amazing life spans. Inhabitants of one the Greek islands are living to the age of 90; that’s several years longer than the average lifespan of Americans. These people were also living about 8 to 10 years longer than Americans before the onset of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease. With this long lifespan and length of time without chronic diseases, you’ve got to wonder: What’s the secret? It might just be their diet. The Mediterranean Diet has had a lot of research put into it and the positive benefits of this diet have been touted again and again. A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed a significant reduction (around 30 percent) in the risk of stroke and cardiovascular events among participants living in Mediterranean countries and following common Mediterranean eating patterns. Research has also found that the Mediterranean diet may contribute to a lower risk in developing Alzheimer’s disease and, of course, a longer lifespan. What is the Mediterranean diet? It focuses on plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, olives and nuts. There’s also a focus on healthy fats such as olive oil. The Mediterranean diet encourages you to eat fish and seafood at least two times per week. Chicken, eggs, cheese and yogurt are also part of the Mediterranean diet but should be limited to no more than once per day. Meat and sweets should be consumed infrequently. Wine also is a common part of the Mediterranean diet, and physical activity should be included in a Mediterranean diet lifestyle, too. All in all, the Mediterranean diet is a good, healthy diet. It allows you to encompass all of the food groups and even allows sweet treats. It may seem like a daunting task to eat like a those living in the Mediterranean, but it’s definitely worth a shot. Here are some tips to help you get started. • Concentrate on vegetables. Make vegetables the star of your meals by giving them a bigger portion of your plate. Have one meal per week that is meat-free and veggie heavy. At minimum, fill at least half of your plate with vegetables and eat them first. • Snack on nuts and seeds. The Mediterranean diet encourages eating nuts and seeds, so snack on a handful of almonds, walnuts or sunflower seeds. These are much better snacks than chips or other processed foods. • Switch up your protein choices and focus on fish. The Mediterranean diet encourages eating fish and seafood at least twice a week. Start incorporating fish into your weekly meal planning. Start with once a week and work up from there. • Embrace healthy fats. Not all fats are bad fats. The fats that are emphasized in the Mediterranean diet are good-for-you fats. Olive oil is a great place to start. You can use it cook or make your own salad dressing. Nuts also contain healthy fats. • Have some treats. The Mediterranean diet is a not a diet or lifestyle where you need to deny yourself anything. The Mediterranean diet recognizes that having a sweet treat, or glass of wine, is a part of life. Here is a recipe to try:

Jessica Oswald is a family and consumer sciences agent and dietitian with the Alamance County branch of the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service. Contact her at jessica_oswald@ncsu.edu or (336) 570-6740.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.